Zombie alert! Season 3 of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” will be preceded by a weekend-long marathon of all 19 episodes from the first two seasons, on July 7 and 8, and a â€śTalking Deadâ€ť live primetime special on Sunday.

The â€śTalking Deadâ€ť hour, hosted by Chris Hardwick (“The Nerdist”), will be followed by the premiere of the black-and-white version of â€śThe Walking Deadâ€ť pilot episode, a nod to the original b&w comic book. Also expect a scene from the new season, plus interviews with cast members and producers.

Serious fans note: you can Win a “stagger-on” role. During the live show, Hardwick will reveal a code which viewers may use to enter â€śThe Walking Deadâ€ť Watch to Win Sweepstakes, at http://www.amcdead.com/. The winner will receive a trip to Atlanta and a â€śstagger-onâ€ť part as a zombie. How many hours are you willing to spend in the makeup chair?

Joanne Ostrow has been watching TV since before "reality" required quotation marks. "Hill Street Blues" was life-changing. If Dickens, Twain or Agatha Christie were alive today, they'd be writing for television. And proud of it.